Tavistock 3-0 Mousehole
Toolstation Western League Premier Division
Tuesday 10th August 2021
At Langsford Park
Summary:
After the magnificent FA Cup performance against Helston on Saturday, an unfortunate combination of circumstances led to The Seagulls’ first defeat of the season against a strong Tavistock side playing their first home game of the campaign. With Covid, illness and injury depriving the squad of key personnel and requiring players to occupy unfamiliar positions, an on-field injury with the scoreline at 0-0 caused further re-organisation for the last hour of the match. The battling Seagulls also hit the woodwork twice, created a lot of chances, and had a goal disallowed – so, all in all, this wasn’t their day.
Match preview points:
Mousehole are without captain Billy Curtis, Mark Richards, Kyle Fraser and Sean Roberts. Midfielder Max Gilbert is at right-back and winger Callam Mconie at left-back, with Jack Rhead making a start up front and striker Mark Goldsworthy one of three outfield players on the bench. The squad has been stretched to the limit!
Tavistock have played three away games so far, losing to Saltash and winning against Ilfracombe in the League, coupled with an FA Cup success at St Austell. Prolific ex-Saltash goalscorer Ryan Richards, now with Torpoint Athletic, is a dual-signed substitute.
The action:
2 minutes: Mousehole half-chance. A long diagonal pass by Andy Elcock sets Hayden Turner free on the left and his low cross is scrambled away from Jack Rhead at the near post
10 minutes: Close for Tavistock. A long left-sided corner is headed back at the far post and bounces off the bar
13 minutes: Close again. The hosts use their height advantage well from another corner. This time a downward header is cleared from in front of goal.
19 minutes: Excellent move by Mousehole from deep defence. Hayden Turner and Tallan Mitchell run at pace through The Lambs’ midfield and deep into opposition territory, but keeper Josh Oak just beats Jack Rhead to the one-on-one chance.
22 minutes: Mousehole hit the post. Hayden Turner goes off on a high-speed run to give himself a shooting chance, but the left-footed strike from just inside the box is touched by Oak on to the far post and out for a corner
Midway through the first half: Mousehole are putting together some good patterns of play. Tavistock are more direct, but no less threatening.
27 minutes: Another Mousehole chance. Hayden Turner supplies a left-wing cross and Josh Magin heads over the angle from 8 yards
30 minutes: Josh Otto is injured and leaves the field, Mousehole are playing with ten men.
32 minutes: Tallan Mitchell and Jack Rhead break together quickly but the final pass in front of goal is intercepted
33 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Josh Otto is replaced by Mark Goldsworthy, who will play centrally up front, with Jack Rhead moving wide, winger Josh Magin occupying the right-back berth and Max Gilbert taking up a centre-back position. This means Jamie Devine is now the only recognised defender in the back four!
34 minutes: Andy Elcock takes a quick free-kick to create a great chance for Jack Rhead, but the home defence closes ranks
35 minutes: Hayden Turner drives over from 30 yards
36 minutes: Now Andy Elcock tries his luck but is wide from 25 yards. Mousehole seem unaffected by the enforced changes – maybe attack is the best form of defence?
40 minutes: GOAL FOR TAVISTOCK. A short pass 20 yards out finds a gap in the centre of the defence and LIAM PRYNN is through on goal, firing low into the net from around the penalty spot. The Lambs have the lead but it’s somewhat against the recent pattern of play.
44 minutes: Hayden Turner’s cross is clutched under the angle of post and bar by Josh Oak
Half-Time: Tavistock 1-0 Mousehole. The makeshift Mousehole side has done well in the circumstances, but Tavistock have converted their one clear chance.
48 minutes: Mark Goldsworthy is put through by Tallan Mitchell but the early Mousehole chance is thwarted by a great last-man tackle
49 minutes: GOAL FOR TAVISTOCK. It’s 2-0, the simplest of goals. With the Mousehole defence expecting the ball to be floated into the box from a 30-yard free-kick left of centre, a short pass outside the edge of the wall gives the unmarked JOSH GRANT a clear sight of goal and he duly shoots low into the far corner of Cory Harvey’s net.
55 minutes: Ten minutes in, and understandably Tavistock are playing with a lot of confidence. Goals a few minutes either side of half-time have now completely changed the game. Nevertheless, Mousehole are still playing their way, as they look for a breakthrough.
58 minutes: GOAL FOR TAVISTOCK. On the break, a well-judged chipped pass puts TALLAN BURNS into space on the left and he places a superb left-foot volley into the far corner from 15 yards. Now three goals in a little over a quarter of an hour of play.
59 minutes: Tavistock close again. They’re really testing The Seagulls’ defensive qualities with fast-paced attacks. This time, left-back Josh Robins overlaps but drives wide of the far post
67 minutes: A ‘nearly’ moment for Mousehole: Jack Rhead bustles his way past two defenders on the right and puts a low cross into the box where Mark Goldsworthy leaves it for Tallan Mitchell whose first-time drive from 15 yards flashes just over the bar.
68 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Steve Burt is replaced by Silas Sullivan who goes to left-back, enabling Callam Mconie to join the attack
69 minutes: Tavistock appear to have taken note of the threat from Mousehole and have retreated into a more defensive formation, with just Prynn up front. With 20 minutes left, they’re battening down the hatches.
70 minutes: Hayden Turner yet again outpaces the Lambs’ defenders on the left and his low cross is just out of reach of Mark Goldsworthy at the far post
80 minutes: Ten minutes left and Mousehole continue to dominate possession, but the home defence is remaining solid
84 minutes: Mousehole substitute – Jack Rhead is replaced by Charlie Willis
86 minutes: Mousehole hit the woodwork again. Hayden Turner almost produces a replica of his magnificent second goal against Helston, hitting a dipping right-foot shot from near the corner of the box that hits the face of the crossbar with keeper Josh Oak beaten. Maybe that suggests it’s not going to happen this evening?
89 minutes: Hayden Turner has another goalbound shot deflected wide
90 minutes: Andy Elcock lashes in a 20 yarder which the flying Josh Oak tips over
90+1: The home keeper is in action straight after, going full length to push Callam Mconie’s shot round the post
90+2: Mousehole are making a strong finish to the match, showing great character. Mark Goldsworthy pounces on a loose ball in front of goal and prods it into the net, but it’s offside. That just about sums it up!
Full-time: Tavistock 3-0 Mousehole. Huge credit for the depleted Seagulls squad, despite the result. The return match at Trungle Parc at the end of the month is likely to be different!
Mousehole starting X1 (and used substitutes): Cory Harvey (captain), Max Gilbert, Josh Otto (Mark Goldsworthy), Jamie Devine, Callam Mconie, Steve Burt (Silas Sullivan), Tallan Mitchell, Andy Elcock, Josh Magin, Jack Rhead (Charlie Willis), Hayden Turner. Other substitute: Piran Jones (GK).
Officials: Scott Robinson (Referee), with Nuria Boney & Stuart Kane (Assistants)
Attendance: 219
Next for Mousehole:
This Saturday, 14th August: Home v Street AFC, Western League Premier Division, Trungle Parc, 3pm
- The Somerset club, known as The Cobblers, play at the Tannery ground, after the local shoe-making industry
- Long-established members of the Western League, they were Premier Division champions in 2018 but took voluntary demotion after one season in the Southern League despite a creditable 8th place finish
- They are the only Premier Division club who, like Mousehole, play in green kit
- In the FA Cup they lost 8-0 away at Fareham, and also lost two home league games, 4-0 v Exmouth and 3-1 v Brislington
- This midweek they won 4-1 away at bottom club Bridport
Then:
Next Wednesday, 18th August: Away v Saltash United, WLP, 7.30pm
Followed by: Saturday 21st August: Home v Plymouth Parkway, FA Cup Preliminary Round, 3pm
